News | Peachtree City

Sex offender bonds out with no hearing

Thu, 02/09/2006 - 4:35pm
By: John Munford

Despite his status as a sex offender, a Peachtree City man was released from jail hours after his arrest for a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery, police said.

Raymond Romo, 56, of Merrill Lane was arrested Wednesday, two days after a home health care nurse complained that he sexually assaulted her in his home, police said. The nurse complained Monday to police that Romo touched her inappropriately, made sexual advances toward her and exposed his genitals to her, police said.

The victim left the home immediately and contacted police, authorities said.

Although Georgia law is considered strict on sex offenders who have been convicted, in this case Romo was allowed to post bond without a hearing in court because the offense is a misdemeanor, said Peachtree City Police Chief James Murray.

Romo was previously convicted in Colorado of indecent exposure., Murray said. As such, he registered as a listed sex offender when he moved to Peachtree City, Murray said.

The victim was treating Romo for a burn injury to his hands when the incident occurred, police said.

Another complaint filed against Romo is being investigated and may lead to additional charges, police said.

Murray said he would like to see Georgia legislators require a court hearing for any sex offender who is charged with a sexual offense, even if the offense is a misdemeanor.

Legislators are considering a bill that would require all sex offenders to be tracked through GPS monitoring for the rest of their lives.

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Legal Disgrace
Submitted by flip212 on Fri, 02/10/2006 - 12:21pm.

Its a legal disgrace that a preditor like Romo is set free without being held over for a hearing. Its time we spoke out and got the laws changed to eliminate this from ever happening again in our County/City.

This person is an evil human being who enjoys the thrill of exposing himself to women. How is it possible that a "registered sex offender" like Romo is set free without at least a bond hearing?

As citizens of this County we need to support the Police Chief in his efforts to get the laws changed. PTC Police do an awesome job of arresting this type of scum, only to have them back out on the street due to a rediculious law. We need to write our Representatives and demand law changes.

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not just a thrill......
Submitted by 2Xpoz1 on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 4:33pm.

.....it is actually the thrill of the risk involved to expose themselves. The higher the risk, the greater the thrill. This is just the preliminary stage to the actual crime. So until they go to the next level of this illness, and who knows what's stopping them, they "get off", (no pun intended) with a simple misdemeanor! If this is to be stopped, it has to be stopped at the preliminary stages of this illness, not AFTER a crime has been committed and an innocent child is harmed for life.

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A misdemeanor?
H. Hamster's picture
Submitted by H. Hamster on Fri, 02/10/2006 - 7:22pm.

Are you kidding me? A misdemeanor? For a repeat offender? I'm outraged by this and think changing the laws is a little bit too slow to correct this problem. I believe I will visit this predator and ask him if he would like to move out of town. Very soon. Who's got my back?

But of course write to your representative and get the law changed. Even if Romo goes away there will be someone taking his place.


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outraged?
Submitted by 2Xpoz1 on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 4:27pm.

You should be me! If you're really serious about this issue, I can certainly tell you how to go about making changes for these type offenders and the laws. But it starts with local voices like ours. Make yourself aware of the laws regarding sex offenders, the laws that are being put before the House right now and the ones that are in the Senate. Write your Congressman. Be proactive. Watch Oprah, for pete's sake! It is all over the media currently, if you havent seen MSNBC's "How to Catch a Predator", get it! You would be surprised if you checked your own zip code to learn of the actual sex offenders living near YOU! Also, if that's not enough, are you aware that the level below the sexual predator who gets charged with a misdemeanor are the ones with the same mindset and illness who actually commit the heinous crimes to our children? Of course they get more than a misdemeanor, but society accepts the voyeurs and exhibitionists as mere nuisances in our community. Please don't wait until it happens to you or someone you know!

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Tell me When!
Submitted by flip212 on Sat, 02/11/2006 - 9:55am.

I got your back..just tell me when!

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Sex Offender Address?
secret squirrel's picture
Submitted by secret squirrel on Fri, 02/10/2006 - 12:12pm.

Can anyone find "Merrill Lane" on a PTC map? I've checked Google, Mapquest and a few other map sites and cannot locate this street.


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re:Sex Offender
Submitted by dkinser on Fri, 02/10/2006 - 2:28pm.

Highlight and copy this link. Then paste into your browser to see the "Offender".

http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/SexualOffenderDetails.jsp?action=SexualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=234055PA1

Dana Kinser

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Off MacDuff Parkway
Submitted by flip212 on Fri, 02/10/2006 - 12:17pm.

Merrill Lane is located at the end of MacDuff Parkway in the Ashton Woods/Chadworth subdivision.

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Get Out Romo!
Submitted by flip212 on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 12:00pm.

Get out of our neighborhood Romo...

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This one is a little easier
Submitted by MSC on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 6:21pm.

This one is a little easier to look at:

http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/SORSearch.jsp

one thing that disgusts me is there are numerous people convicted of child molestation and rape who did not serve 1 day in jail !!! If you are convicted of either one, you should be castrated, that should keep them from doing it again. Most people like this are REPEAT offenders. We need to do something to ensure they don't do it again.....

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If only it were that simple !!!
Submitted by 2Xpoz1 on Wed, 02/15/2006 - 4:46pm.

You're wasting your time telling a predator to get out! You should use your voices here, people, at a greater level and that's to stop the illness where it starts like the illicit sex that goes on everywhere around you. They might as well make this act legal since the shelves in the local supermkt are sagging with pornography! A predator in rehab hasnt a chance on the public magazine aisle. What about this one: the things we as a society promote and accept as consumers. Naked women on the cover of Sports Illustrated? How does that promote swimsuits? It's all about pornography and the desensitizing of America to accept the smut that is piped in thru the very existence of our daily lives. If you dont take a stand against it, it will not go away by itself. Thanks to Madonna, Janet, and all the hype and media that goes along to promote sexual promiscuity, our sons and daughters don't have a fighting chance! Your child's role models are posing nude on magazine covers. Some of your church pastors are promoting hip hop music with degrading and exploiting lyrics designed to seduce teens to this very type of behvior. Dare to read the lyrics of what your kid is listening to? Predators no longer have to lurk in parks or school playgrounds, they just sit at their computers (24/7) and wait for a teenager to go online. Wake up parents of teens and check out your kids activity. It's right in front of your face. If you dont know how, then LEARN! These predators didnt become predators overnight, people. They start at 9 or 10.

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